The Lost Emerald
by PockyNerd
Summary: A year after Sonic visited the Hex he gets an unexpected visit from the Zeti claiming Jade has disappeared! Along with Jade the other five chaos emeralds have disappeared and reappeared. Whatever Eggman is up to again Sonic has to stop him and all the while look for the lost human girl and Zavok has insisted on coming along.
1. Chapter 1

Zik couldn't figure out where the time had gone. A year passed by so quickly and Jade's sickness seemed like a nightmare he had long ago. Each day since Sonic and Tails left the Hex Jade's strength came to her tenfold. She never once got sick and she even discovered a new power thanks to the Chaos Emerald that lodged itself in her heart and fused with her spirit.

He watched his pupils train. It was obvious Zavok was using half of his normal strength and sometimes even letting Jade win. Each time Jade would scold Zavok for going easy on her. She could tell he was letting her win because he wasn't at all hurt while she had scraps and sometimes bruises.

Zavok eventually made his way to the top of the hill and sat with the old Zeti while Jade trained with Zazz.

"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Zavok finally breathed out.

"They'll be here to check on her soon. Assuming they even still remember her." Zik hadn't heard much about Sonic or his fox friend for the entire year.

Zavok growled under his breath. "Don't remind me." He lay down in the grass.

Below them, Jade had a hard time seeing through her fiery red hair. Sometimes it looked more orange than red depending on how the sun hit it. Zazz used the opportunity to try to attack but she was too smart for that, she easily turned the attack on him to take him to the ground.

He noticed her eyes were an off white color, almost like a grey. That only happened when she used the power of the chaos gem. When did she use it and on whom, he wondered.

When Jade and Zazz and the rest of the Deadly Seven ran up the hill to meet him he stood. "Done training already?"

Jade was out of breath but she was smiling that contagious smile of hers. It warmed the coldest of hearts and was brighter than the sun on its heavenly noon seat and was more beautiful than the cherry blossoms in spring. "What do you mean 'already'? We've been training for hours."

"I expected everyone else to train far longer than a few hours." He admitted as he walked toward the old house, long since abandoned. Jade still hated sleeping in it unless one of the other members were with her. Otherwise she slept outside with them. She didn't seem to find it uncomfortable, in fact she enjoyed sleeping under the stars and making up pictures in the sky with the stars.

"Hey, where are you going now?" Jade followed her.

"Well your friends should be coming soon, shouldn't they? I'm still waiting for them."

"I think they've forgotten all about me." She laughed. She didn't seem to care if they have or hadn't forgotten about her.

"Then I'm going to make lunch. You should play with your brothers."

"I don't want to. I want to hang out with you, Master Zik." She continued to follow him to the house.

The air filled with a familiar sound that was foreign to the Hex. They both looked to the sky and saw a yellowish object pass over them. Jade's face lit up.

"Go see them." Zik encouraged. She ran off immediately.

* * *

The sound of the plane was unforgettable to Jade. How could she ever forget the sound of Tails or Sonic? She slowed to a stop, however, and hid. The plane looked nothing like Tails' plane.

"What on earth are we doing back here, boss?" A circular robot asked while he lay lazily in the sun.

The one he called "boss" was a big fat man in a red suit with a mustache that was too long for his face, was looking at some device similar to what Tails had but a lot smaller. He told his robot friend, "I wanted to check some rumors." He started walking in her direction.

Quickly Jade moved to hid behind another tree to avoid detection. She recognized the man as the one who her brothers described to be the first person to ever see the Hex. What did they call him? Mustache Man? Danger Bearded Man? No…It had to do with a food.

"Hey Boss!" The voice came from behind her. When she turned she made a frightening discovery. She kicked the cubed shaped robot away.

"Well what do we have here?" The man had snuck up near her while she was busy kicking the other robot. The shape of his body reminded her of something she used to collect and eat but she couldn't think of it at first. Her mind should have been on escaping but she felt comfortable thinking her brothers were near by.

"So the rumors are true! A human girl really does live here. How have the Zeti not killed you yet?"

"An egg!" She screamed aloud without really meaning to.

"I think the girl has gone crazy." The circular robot got closer.

"I wouldn't get too close if I were you. Everyone else will be here soon but they'll be surprised when they don't see Sonic." But in truth she didn't sense her siblings or her Master. The bluff had to work just long enough for someone to notice she was gone, though.

"And I wouldn't make threats, little girl."

Jade heard it then, the sound of robotic guns. She looked up, her heart pounding in her ears when she saw seven robots, flying over them, and their guns trained on her. But she didn't know why, she was mostly harmless.

"I would come with me if I were you."

 _Fight, flight, fight, flight, fight…no I have to flee._ Within seconds her mind made the decision. She started in the direction of the snow filled quadrant of the Hex. A pain traveled up her leg and she rolled down the hill. When she inspected it she saw a bloodied hole right behind her knee. The egg-shaped man came down to get her.

She could do nothing but scream but even that was cut short with a stabbing pain on the back of her neck.

* * *

Tails loaded up the plane. Sonic had never seen him so excited to see someone before. He didn't even get so excited to see him and he was Tails' best friend!

"You don't plan to leave tonight, do you?"

Tails shook his head. "No, it's way too late for that."

A year before Tails saved a young girls life. She still lived on the Hex with the Zeti she claimed as family. He'd never seen such an oddball family as the Zeti but they were the most functional family he's ever seen or been around with. However, he suspected that without Jade the family would hardly exist the way it did. She was the center of their lives and they would do anything to protect her. Much in the same way Tails protected him two years before when the Zeti attempted to make him into a cyborg.

"There, all packed! I can't wait to see Jade tomorrow. I wonder if she got any powers from that Chaos Emerald."

Sonic had almost forgotten that a Chaos Emerald merged with her, became a part of her. "I wonder if you'll find it in her."

"Unlikely. She's probably apart of the Chaos Emerald now." Sonic gave him a look, prompting his best friend to continue his explanation. "More than likely the only way to get the Chaos Emerald back is to force it out of her, which would be an extremely painful procedure. The other option would just be to kill her."

Sonic finally understood why Tails asked to keep the Hex, and Jade, a secret. Eggman would most likely want the power of the Chaos Emerald for himself and would do almost anything to get it. But was Eggman so cold as to kill a girl for it? Maybe not. Even he wasn't that cruel.

Night turned to morning so quickly, but, unlike his expectations, Tails' excited voice didn't wake him but his screaming did. When Sonic woke he was surprised to see Zavok, picking him up and throwing him against the wall. His head rang when it hit the wall. He looked around desperately for his friend.

"Where is she?" He heard a familiar, old voice.

"Who? Jade? Isn't she with you?" Tails' voice sounded tired and confused. The sun hadn't come up yet. Why would they attack this early?

"Do you think we would be down here if she was with us?" Zeena put her hands on her hips.

"Note taken. She isn't with us. We haven't been to the Hex yet. We were going to leave today."

Sonic finally had the sense to stand and run to his friend before Zavok could catch him.

"How can we be sure?" The darker Zeti toyed with his bangs. His hair looked somewhat different than before, maybe it was shorter.

Zik stared into Tails' eyes. Tails' never broke eye contact. Everyone looked at the two, confused of what was going on. It was like they were having a quiet conversation.

Finally Zik said, "Where could she have gone? Who could have taken her?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note: I apologize for Chapters 1 and 2 being the same and not putting up the correct chapter. I'm not sure why that happened. Thank you, Guest, for finally pointing out my mistake! I will make sure to post the correct chapters in the future.**

* * *

Jade woke up cold and alone. Her leg was no longer bleeding but it also wasn't bandaged up. The wound was completely gone, though, one of the many perks the Chaos Emerald gave her. However the side effect included turning her eyes grey.

"Fascinating." The voice was familiar. It was the fat man. Jade looked beyond the bars and saw him and his two robots. "Your body has completely repaired the damages."

Damages? Oh that's right. She suddenly remembered she had some scrapes and bruising due to the training. Her brothers…what were they doing?

"You've signed your own death warrant. I hope you know that." She said in a cold voice.

"Did I? Strange I don't remember signing anything." He was mocking her but she wouldn't give in so easily.

"Patient anger." She whispered to herself.

The cube shaped robot looked up at his boss. "She doesn't seem harmful! Why is she in there, Eggman?"

Eggman! Of course! That was his name.

"Because she could still escape." The spherical robot replied.

"And that's bad?"

It seemed that they were all idiots.

"We want the Chaos Emerald that merged with her, remember, Cubot? Orbot, is everything ready?"

Orbot nodded. "Yes, boss. The next thing would be to transport her."

"I'll leave that up to you." With that he walked away.

The bar doors opened and Jade slowly stood. Her leg didn't feel weak like it should have, in fact it felt stronger. Her first reaction was to flee but as soon as Eggman left other robots came in, their guns trained solely on her. Though there were probably no bullets in them, she still didn't want to chance letting her only routes of escape go. She would play it cautiously until she found a sure fire opportunity to escape. Until then she would comply with their demands and hope that her family found her in time.

* * *

Zik couldn't imagine who would've taken his daughter. Adopted or not, he felt the worry no parent should have to face. Even Zavok was worried, the Zeti hardly worried about anything.

Zor sighed. "It's hopeless, isn't it?" He asked Tails, who checked something on his computer.

"Don't say something like that!" How could Zeena be filing her nails at a time like this _and_ scold Zor for being depressing? "I'm sure she's okay."

"Sonic," the fox called over his friend. "Doesn't that look like…?"

"Yeah. It does. What was he doing there?"

Zik couldn't help but get curious. He walked behind Tails and looked over his shoulder. The image was grainy but it was clear as day to see who took Jade. Tails pressed a button and they could see the image but not hear a word they said. Jade, despite seven robotic guns trained on her, tried to run. For about two minutes everyone was out of the camera's line of sight but then they came back into sight, the robots carried an unconscious Jade.

Then the thought suddenly occurred to him at an inappropriate time: when had they set up cameras in the Hex? Zik shook the thought from his head. He'd ask later.

"Why did Eggman kidnap Jade?" Zomom tilted his head.

"It must be for the Chaos Emerald." Zik concluded.

"It can't be. Nobody knows about that except the ten of us, if you include Knuckles and Jade."

Sonic rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…I may have told Amy."

"You what?!" Tails pointed an accusing finger. "We promised each other we wouldn't tell anybody!"

"Well I left some details out."

"Foolish hedgehog." Zavok pointed a finger at him. "This is your fault!"

"Hang on…"

"Zavok is right, Sonic. If you hadn't told anybody anything she probably wouldn't-"

"Let me talk, guys! Eggman already said he was going back anyway. This can't be entirely my fault!"

Zik stroked his beard and looked outside.

"What are you thinking about, Master?" Zeena's voice pierced through the bickering of the three boys.

"I am thinking that maybe we'd better find Jade quickly. Who knows what might happen if we don't get her back."

* * *

Sonic was getting more and more frustrated at these two! This couldn't have entirely been his fault! Still Tails and Zavok pointed accusing fingers, saying this was all his fault if he had just kept his mouth shut…

But he did remember Eggman announcing at the end of their last meeting on the Hex that he would be back when he found his lost conch. Did this mean he found a conch? Probably not or he wouldn't have left the Hex.

Finally the old man's voice broke their yelling, "Yelling and pointing fingers will do us no good. Even if this is Sonic's fault we must find her and bring her home at once."

"Where do we even start looking?" Zor's voice seemed like that of defeat already. It didn't surprise Sonic one bit.

"I think I have an idea. Eggman always has a moving base. She's probably in the sky." Tails went to his computer. "I can only carry a limited number of people, though. Besides Sonic and myself we can take one member. I can take two if one of the smaller Zeti want to come." Tails was specifically talking about Zor and Zik. They were a lot lighter than the rest of them, or at least they appeared to be.

"I'll go." Zavok piped up before anybody else could. Nobody seemed to object to Zavok going.

"Alright then. As soon as I can pinpoint where exactly Eggman is we'll leave." Tails promised. "Sonic, you go see if anybody has seen Eggman recently."

Sonic didn't like the idea of leaving Tails alone with six Zeti but he did as his friend asked anyway. Where would he even start?


	3. Chapter 3

As they passed by a window in the hall Jade found out they were up in the sky. Maybe her siblings would never find her. She concluded they'd most likely go after Sonic first before looking up here. She needed to have faith that her siblings were smarter than that but it was hard to keep positive when reality tells you differently.

"Are we done looking out the window?" Orbot folded his arms, he was becoming very impatient.

"I never knew how beautiful it was up here," she lied. She was getting better at it, no longer did he face get hot when she lied but she felt she was still bad at lying anyway.

"It's very beautiful, isn't it?"

"Hey, guys, let me see!" Cubot jumped up between Jade and the glass. "Whoa! We're so high up! You'd die if you fell."

Was this a scare tactic to keep her from escaping? No, they were too stupid to come up with such a plan. If this had been a different situation maybe she would see the beauty in the clouds, but all she saw was grey and darkness. Was this how Zor saw the world every day? It was quite possible.

"Alright you two, come on, if we don't hurry Eggman won't be pleased." Orbot ushered Cubot and Jade from the window. "Make sure you block all the windows." He whispered to one of the robots. "We can't have any more distractions."

One of the robots went ahead of them.

It took a few more minutes to get to a room with only one huge window. Eggman was nowhere in sight but on the floor marked a giant X. All the other robots ran from the room minus the ones with their guns trained on her. Around the X were a few gems of different colors on the floor. One spot on the floor was empty.

There were three pillars around the X as well. They were cocked and resembled a little bit like a spider's leg.

Jade looked behind her to see a window of another room just above her. It jutted out of the wall like a viewing platform but the windows were darkly tinted.

"Just stand on the X please."

The girl was hesitant. He was planning on taking the Chaos Emerald from her body but…why?

A voice in her head whispered, _Stand on the X and imagine the Chaos Emeralds being a part of you._

Figuring it was her own instincts Jade stood on the X.

"That's a good girl."

The spider leg pillars struck her with electricity. Jade screamed out as each one took turns shocking her and leaving a mark on her body.

 _Will the Chaos Emeralds to you!_ The voice said.

 _I can't. It's too painful._ She closed her eyes. Behind her eyelids she could see herself standing on black water with six of the seven Chaos Emeralds. She glowed a bright white light. _She_ was a Chaos Emerald herself.

No. She wasn't. She reimagined the situation so all of the Chaos Emeralds surrounded her. Each shock that went through her body was from an Emerald striking at her. Suddenly the pain didn't seem so bad. It was nice and warm and inviting.

"What's going on?" Eggman demanded.

When Jade opened her eyes she could see the world in a new light. Looking down at herself she could tell there was a change but she didn't know what it was. There was no time to figure it out either. She quickly turned and jumped through what felt like a thin piece of glass but when she looked back she saw it was actually an inch of glass or more. It was bulletproof.

"Get her back here!"

There was a buzzing sound of robots.

* * *

Sonic immediately heard a buzzing shortly after stopping to talk to Amy about who exactly she told the story to. Her answer was a gasp and she pointed to the sky but Sonic didn't need to turn around to know it was Eggman's robots.

He turned to see them, their guns trained on him, but they were hesitant. He didn't wait to see why. Sonic immediately jumped on one of them and waited until his buddy shot at him then moved out of the way so he didn't get injured while the robot was destroyed.

The other one seemed slightly confused by the destruction of his buddy, assuming robots can even feel confusion. Sonic rolled into his ball and shot out at the robots head, destroying him instantly.

"What was that all about?" Amy wondered aloud.

"They looked like they were looking for something."

"Do you think…do you think Jade could have escaped?"

Sonic shrugged. "One way to find out is to find Eggman. They came from that direction, right?" He pointed south. At Amy's nod Sonic rushed to Tails, who waited at home with six Zeti.

* * *

Zavok didn't remember the last time he felt his black heart beat so fast, or the last time he was so restless. How could everyone just sit around and relax out in the sun? He could feel himself getting angrier and angrier.

 _"Patient anger will always work, Zavok. Trust me."_ He could hear Jade's happy voice in his head and he could see her bright smile. Even in the darkest time her smile was always so bright.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. If he didn't calm down he feared he may kill everyone in sight. He could hear Zik's rhythmic tap of his cane as he walked closer.

"You're uneasy, Zavok."

"Why wouldn't I be? Jade's missing and we have no idea where she is or where to even begin looking."

Zik sighed. "I know. I'm uneasy too."

"You don't look like you are." Zavok tried to hide the growl in his voice.

"There's not much I can do except sit around, Zavok." Before his master could finish a blue blur ran inside the house. Zavok and Zik followed it inside.

Tails was nodding at the story his friend was telling. He turned to Zavok as he entered the house. "I think Sonic might be onto something. We're going to go check it out."

"What did he find?"

"I found some robots but they looked like they were looking for something. I think Jade may have escaped and they're looking for her."

Escaped. The word allowed this weight on his chest to be let off so he could finally breathe. But if she wasn't with Eggman where was she?


	4. Chapter 4

Jade didn't remember much of the escape. She remembered falling, though, and landing on something, and hitting her head. The last thing she heard was the word "Charmy." Now, looking around, she found herself on a bed in a unknown home.

From the corner of her eye she saw a purple curtain move. It separated this room, a room with three beds, from another one. An alligator appeared, probably checking in on her. He smiled when he saw she was awake.

"Good, you're awake! That must mean you're okay."

She nodded, cautious about talking. From behind him she could see a small bee peek out from behind his legs. He had a crutch in one hand. Slowly he approached her and she could see the damage. Jade flew to the ground in front of the bee.

"Oh no, I didn't do that, did I?" She asked the bee.

"It's okay, this is nothing." He lied in a boyish voice.

Jade shook her head. "No, let me help you. Hold still, okay?" Everyone seemed alarmed when she grabbed the boy's knee but the alligator backed off when her body started to glow. She was used to the surprised reactions by now. Her brothers and sister and master were still surprised when she fixed a broken ankle or a scraped knee.

When the glowing stopped she looked up at the bee. He was even more surprised by her eyes. "Try walking on it now." She insisted.

Hesitantly, he did. With a smile the boy jumped in the air. "It's healed!"

"That's amazing!" Jade looked up to find the voice belonged to a chameleon. "How did you learn to do that?"

Should she trust these people? She put her finger to her lips and winked, "That's a secret." In the chameleons eyes it told he could tell she was guarded but didn't ask why. "What are your names?" She finally asked. "And where am I?"

The Alligator spoke. "You are at our detective agencies HQ. The boy there next to you is Charmy the Bee. The quiet chameleon is Espio. And I am Vector, their handsome leader."

"And a bossy one too," Charmy whispered to Jade.

They all stared at Jade in silence. Finally the human girl understood, she was probably being rude. "Oh, sorry, I'm Jade. Thank you all for helping me."

"There's breakfast in the kitchen, come on!" Charmy tried pulling her by the hand. She let herself be led by the boy bee to the couch. It was a little more comfortable than the floor was but she still preferred to be sitting on the earth on the Hex. Once she was settled Charmy gave her a plate full of food and a fork.

She stared at the food.

"Well, go on, eat!" Charmy insisted while everyone else sat around the room.

Slowly she ate. The food here wasn't unlike the food on the Hex. But it was still different.

"What happened to you?" Espio finally asked when she was finished.

"Honestly, I don't remember much." She admitted sheepishly. Zik always taught her to close her eyes and think back as far as she could and retrace events that happened to remember. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Under her eyelids she could see herself with the Chaos Emeralds in Eggman's ship. "I was kidnapped by Eggman and I escaped when I had the chance using the Chaos Emeralds." Like a movie, she saw herself flying in the air, a gold tint flew off of her. "Then I heard 'scatter' and I fell…" She snapped her eyes open and she looked at Charmy who perched next to her. "I must have fallen on you."

Charmy nodded. "Good detective skills there. You did fall on me. We were walking back home when you came out of nowhere."

Espio chimed in, "You were unconscious and we heard the sounds of robots not too far away so we decided to bring you with us and run home before the robots could see us."

"Why would Eggman kidnap someone like you?" Vector turned red suddenly realizing how rude he was. "I-I mean not that he wouldn't, that's a really neat ability you have but-"

"But I still don't trust you three." Master Zik always taught her to be honest in some situations. Although this put a dark look on the boys face, she needed to be honest about her feelings toward the detective team. "I'm sorry but I'm reluctant to give up any further information until comes a time I can fully trust you."

Vector seemed to open his mouth to say something but Espio interrupted his friend, "I understand fully. However, we do need to know where you come from so we can escort you home."

"R-really? You guys would do that?" Jade's breath was taken away by the proposal. "Thank you all! Really. There are a few people I need to find and they can take me back home. I need to find Sonic the Hedghog. Or Tails."

* * *

Zavok was unsteady on top of the red plane the fox called "Tornado-1". How Sonic could stand next to him with arms folded was beyond him. They flew to the sight the Hedghog found the robots. In the air they didn't find anything.

"Where did you say they came from?" Tails called from over the propeller's sound.

"South!" Sonic called.

Tails shifted the plane with a single stick. Zavok couldn't wrap his head around how a single stick could maneuver such a big aircraft! He didn't ask either, there were no time for questions like that. The only question he needed answered right then and there was 'where is Jade?'

In the distance he could hear engines in front of them and a little red dot that slowly got bigger as they headed toward it. Some robots appeared in front of them from what seemed like nowhere. Sonic's muscles tensed up, ready to fight, but there was no need.

"Save your strength, Sonic." Zavok said and as he spoke the robots flew out of the way.

"That's right," Tails mused aloud, "you guys can control magnetic fields."

"So basically Eggman's robots are useless against us!"

"Still, I'd be on guard, you two. Eggman's stupid but he isn't a complete idiot. He does learn from his mistakes from time to time." The fox cautioned.

Somehow, Zavok found that unlikely but what did he know about Eggman? The only time he's encountered the fat man was when he had the conch. The conch. The Zeti still couldn't shake the pain from his head sometimes. If Eggman had another one it would mean the search and rescue for Jade was a total failure. If he saw it he would have to run, whether he liked it or not, and possibly leave Jade behind.

The thought made Zavok fume. Zeti didn't run away! Not even for their life! But he wasn't just a Zeti, he was also a big brother rescuing his little sister. He didn't care about what happened to Sonic or Tails. As soon as he could find Jade and rescue her he could take her back home. Nothing was going to stop him from his mission.


	5. Chapter 5

The forest on this planet was very similar to the forest in the Hex. They had animals scurrying across the floor, and birds took off in flight when they approached, and the trees followed the winds pattern.

Jade missed the Hex. It made her stomach churn when she thought of it. Where were her brothers and sisters now? Were they here on earth with her?

"What 'cha thinkin' about?" Charmy moved from in front of her to be next to her. She hadn't realized just how far behind Espio and Vector she was.

"Nothing, Charmy." She insisted but it wasn't good enough for the bee boy. "I'm just thinking about home." She added.

"Why are your eyes green now? They were white an hour ago."

"Are they green now?" Jade reached up and touched the corner of her eyes. "They just become like that when I use my power. How's your foot doing?"

"Much better now thanks to you."

"Good."

Suddenly Espio stopped, and he put his arm out for Vector to stop. He was looking in the air.

"What's that sound?" Charmy started to look around.

Vector and Jade were the only ones deaf to the sound for several more moments. Jade heard the buzzing die down suddenly.

"Is it gone?" Charmy asked Espio.

"No, it's just landed." The words forced itself out of Jade's head. As if on cue, they all heard six robotic footsteps approaching them. They soon found out the robot's guns were trained on them.

"Ha-ha, I've finally found you!" Eggman's voice echoed through the forest. He was just above them in a half circle flying machine. "And now thanks to you I have to find all of the Chaos Emeralds again!"

"So why don't you just go find them, Eggman? We obviously don't have them so you're wasting your time here!" Vector yelled. Espio watched the robots with caution.

"Ho, ho, is that what you think? Well you have one right in front of you. A walking, talking, breathing Chaos Emerald."

"What's he talking about?" Espio demanded.

Jade didn't want to explain there and then. "I promise I'll explain everything when we get out of this."

"You assume you're getting away again. We'll just see about that. Grab her!"

One of the robots started toward them but Espio was the one that started the fight.

* * *

Zavok was surprised to see how sophisticated this place was compared to the now abandoned military lab that was stationed on the Hex. Tails and Sonic didn't seem at all impressed with this monstrous machine.

He stopped at a window and looked out below. Did Jade see this same view at one point? He had to admit it was quite a view. Jade would describe it as beautiful.

"You okay?" The young fox didn't touch him, in fact he stood a few feet farther than he should have. He must have been wary of the Zeti.

"Yeah. Lets just find Jade so we can go home."

The two led the way again and he followed behind. Soon they came across a room that might as well shouldn't have existed. Half of the roof was blown off and the bulletproof glass was shattered, most of it was gone, in fact. Robots raced to fix the mess. In the middle of the room was a giant X and surrounding it were smaller X's for a total of eight. What did Eggman attempt to do?

A red robot, he knew as Orbot, laid lazily near them. Upon hearing the door open and close he shot up and turned to the group but immediately went back to his comfortable position.

"Oh, it's just you." He yawned.

"What do you mean 'just you'?" It was a pointless question for Sonic to ask.

Tails seemed to have the same thought. "What happened here?" he asked quickly before the robot could answer.

Cubot looked over from sweeping in a corner. "Well we had the Gem girl but then there was this HUGE flash of light and…" The robot was talking nonsense. Zavok couldn't follow his story it skipped around from beginning to ending to the middle.

"Let me tell the story, Cubot, you keep sweeping." Orbot got up, his hands folded in front of him. "Well we did have Jade at one point. Eggman was attempting to extract the Chaos Emerald from her. But something went wrong. My calculations were correct. The extraction would have been 100% successful. However when the Chaos Emerald appeared Jade's body should have been emptied of all life and the opposite happened. Suddenly all of the Chaos Emeralds disappeared and she went berserk. Within 60 seconds not only was this whole place destroyed but I suspect she may have scattered the Emeralds."

"Alright Jade!"

Tails glared at his friend.

Zavok finally spoke up, "Where is she now?" He demanded.

"Sadly I do not know. She disappeared from our radars soon after the Emeralds scattered. Eggman went to go look for her. Lets see if he's found her!" The robot showed them up to a balcony, a safe viewing room for Eggman to hide in. This room remained untouched minus the glass that shattered but somehow stayed in tact.

Orbot pulled up a video feed from Eggman's flying machine he often stayed in when he went out on the Hex. Zavok knew it all too well and seeing it again made him angry.

It was on the ground for some reason and Jade approached it. She was unharmed! Zavok could feel a weight on his chest lift up.

"Jade! Don't get too close!" The voice was of a child's and unfamiliar to him.

"I'll be fine." She assured the voice. She rummaged around in the pod, when she came back into view she held a device like what Tails used to communicate. "It looks like it has the Chaos Emeralds locations…"

The video feed cut out, the last thing he heard was her screaming as she tripped over the camera.

"Who was she with?" He asked the two.

"I didn't recognize the voice." Tails admitted.

The weight on Zavok's chest returned.

"Lets head home and regroup. She must be with a group she trusts." Sonic was right. There was no use in staying on this ship any longer.

"Oh take me with you!" Orbot begged. "I hate being up here."

"No." Sonic and Tails said in unison as they walked out. Zavok followed the two.

* * *

When they returned Zik expected for Zavok to have Jade. He was greatly disappointed when he didn't see the young girl, smiling brightly, and insisting she was fine. Zavok's look was dark. Had something happened to her?

Everyone gathered around the group.

"Good news," Tails spoke directly at Zik, "Jade's fine."

"So then where is she?" Zor asked.

"That's the bad news. We have no idea. What we do know is she escaped Eggman using all of the Chaos Emeralds and it's possible they scattered themselves. Unfortunately we don't know what Eggman is planning so I will have to look as we're searching for the Chaos Emeralds."

Zomom tilted his head. "I don't understand."

Zeena rolled her eyes.

"So it means you aren't looking for her after all." Zor sighed, depressed. "I knew it. Don't trust anything you two say. I knew it and I told you all."

"That isn't what I was saying." Tails was desperately trying to get ahold of the situation before it got out of hand.

"What do you mean you won't look for her?" Zeena yelled.

"If they won't look for her then I will and I'll destroy anything that gets in my way!" Zazz announced.

Tails looked directly into Ziks eyes. "I just have to multitask is all I'm saying. But the Chaos Emeralds are a priority to me and Sonic. She is one so we'll have to focus all of our attention on her at some point."

Zik turned to his students. "Enough!" He shouted. "It seems that they believe she is in no danger. They are postponing the search until they know their world is safe. While they do that, however, we have to go back to the Hex to make sure our world is safe. Zavok," he turned to his oldest pupil, "you will go with them. If you suspect Jade is in any danger your priority will be to search for her with or without their help." _Even if that means destroying anything,_ is something he wanted to add but he didn't want to alarm their helpers. Zavok seemed to understand anyway.

"I will, Master." He bowed his head.

"Good. Let us go, then."

* * *

As the other five Zeti left Sonic finally felt like he could relax. He half wished Zavok went with his master. But maybe having some extra muscle wouldn't be too bad. He couldn't imagine what Zavok was going through. What would Sonic do in his situation?

He turned over in his bed so he stared at the wall. If Tails suddenly disappeared he'd never stop looking for him. He would probably not even bother to search for the Chaos Emeralds.

Sonic shook his head, ridding the thought from his brain and allowing him to close his eyes and relax more. But sleep wouldn't overtake him. After staring at the inside of his eyelids for hours he finally went outside where the Zeti slept. Zavok stared at the sky and his eyes were tracing the stars.

"What are you looking at?" Sonic asked him.

"Nothing." He lied. His eyes were cold toward him.

Sonic shrugged and looked up at the stars. The moon was full and it lit up everything around them. "Tails is looking up the first of the Chaos Emeralds. As soon as we can we'll head there. If we're lucky we'll come across Jade on our way. Then you two can go home."

This fact didn't seem to assure Zavok.

"Hey, at least she's okay." He added.

But Zavok never relaxed. His eyes were trained on him. He couldn't relax.


	6. Chapter 6

That night, while Jade watched Vector make dinner, Espio messed with Eggman's gear to find out if her theory was right, but to do that they needed to actually see the location on a map. Watching Vector make dinner made her remember the Hex, and how she used to run around the kitchen to make something suitable. Sometimes everyone would eat it, sometimes nobody even liked it, and sometimes she burned everything leaving only cold meat and some veggies for the night. Sometimes Zik came to her rescue and corrected her mistakes before anybody could figure out how badly she messed up.

When they got back she demanded Espio show her how it worked so she could go get the Chaos Emeralds before Eggman.

"What about taking you home?" Charmy had asked with a sad look on his face.

"My brothers will be fine without me for a few more months. If anything happens, though, we'll have to abandon the mission to search for them."

They had agreed to help her out without much fighting.

"Ah-ha! Got it!" Espio finally announced. "It looks like the first of the Emeralds is over on the Southern Isles."

Charmy peeked over his shoulder. "They're islands. How are we supposed to get to them?"

"Swim?" Jade suggested but Vector shook his head.

"They're too far away to swim. You'd get half way before tiring out. We can probably rent a boat. That's what we'll do too!"

"We don't even know if there'll even be a civilization to rent a boat from on this beach." Espio gestured toward what beach he was talking about on the map.

"We'll just have to find out then, huh?"

Jade smiled and Vector passed out the food on plates to everyone. "Since we have food now, Jade can tell us her story." He sat in the empty spot next to her.

"Hey that was my seat!" Charmy complained.

"Well you got out of it making it free." He started eating.

While Charmy complained Jade watched her plate like it was going to move. Where should she start?

Espio, seeing the look she was giving the plate, said, "What's your relationship with Eggman?"

Jade laughed and shook her head. "It isn't much of a relationship. I didn't even know who he was before all of this happened."

"So then why was he after you?" Charmy finally took a spot on her lap and stuck her tongue out at Vector.

"I shouldn't be alive…" She whispered as if that answered his question. "A year ago I was so sick I should have died…" she wasn't looking at anybody, all she saw was the plate with hamburgers and peas. "But Sonic and Tails and another friend, Knuckles, they all used Chaos Emeralds to save me. One of them bonded with me, which is how I was able to heal Charmy's leg so easily. Eggman kidnapped me wanting to use the power of the Emerald but I'm not sure what for."

Finally she looked up. Everyone stared at her in awe.

"So where do you come from?" Vector asked.

"I still don't trust you enough to answer that. Besides, none of you would believe me if I told you." She took the hamburger and started eating it.

* * *

Zavok sat outside, staring at the night sky until Sonic came and started to annoy him with his questions. Each time he opened his mouth Zavok got more and more annoyed.

In the sky he traced the stars Jade used to trace in the sky. Sonic sat near him, watching the moon. It lit up everything in a pale light. Soon the moon hid from the sun's rays. The sun lit up the eastern mountains and painted the sky pink and purple.

Tails burst from the house. His eyelids were half closed. He must've stayed up all night.

"I know where the first Chaos Emerald is, guys!" On his tablet he showed them a map of the world. A dot covered what appeared to be a small series of islands. "The Southern Isles. If we're lucky that's where Jade will be heading."

"Can you fly us there, Tails?"

Tails opened his mouth but Zavok interrupted, "What if Jade isn't going after the Chaos Emeralds? She may be trying to find you two. Isn't it best if Tails stays here?"

The fox thought about it. "I can drop you guys off at the Southern Isles and come right back. The whole trip shouldn't take more than an hour and I can put up a note explaining where we're going, this way if she is trying to find us she can just hang out here."

He was smart, Zavok had to give him credit for that. "Then let us go."


	7. Chapter 7

Jade woke early to watch the sun rise. She got up on the roof easily but she wasn't completely sure how to get down now. Should she slide down? Jump down? She would worry about it when she had to get down but for now she enjoyed the sun paint the sky in a wide variety of pinks and blues and watched the sun chase away the dark demons in heaven.

Charmy flew up to the roof with her, his eyelids still heavy with sleep. Jade smiled as he sat next to her. "You're up early." He noted.

"I'm always up early. Me and my brothers used to all watch the sunrise together." _Well, actually, Master Zik and I would watch the sunrise._ She wasn't going to tell him that, though. She was still wary of them. They could be working for Eggman for all she knew, or someone even worse than him.

"Why are you up so early?" She asked him after a long moment.

"I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking about how worried your family must be."

Yes. How worried were they? Did they attack Eggman already? Were they about to wreak havoc on the earth? Or were they in the Hex now trying to find her up there? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air was different here than on the Hex. It seemed dirtier and more constricted. But the people here were used to air like this. She wondered what they would think of the air on the Hex if it were ever discovered again.

Vector and Espio found them on the roof when the sun was high in the sky. "Lets go, you two!" Vector called.

Charmy was fully awake by that time and flew down to his friends. Jade followed him down, trying her best to carefully maneuver off the roof. It ended with her ankle twisting in a way a human leg shouldn't be able to twist. Immediately after her cry she felt a warm feeling, as if two hands embraced her ankle.

Alarmed, the three boys ran to her. "I'll be okay in an hour." She explained to them.

Everyone knew they didn't have that kind of time. Vector insisted on carrying her. She rode on his back while her ankle grew warmer and warmer.

"So it'll only take an hour for your ankle to get better?" Charmy asked as they walked through the forest.

"Yeah, that's right. It's because of the Chaos Emerald. It's trying to protect itself and the best way to protect itself is to protect its host."

"I didn't even know Chaos Emeralds had a mind of their own." Vector shifted her a bit. She found out he often favored his left side rather than his right.

"It's a theory me and my big brother had, Vector. We don't really know for sure but I think they do. It seems impossible but if they're apart of the earth why wouldn't they?"

Espio made a 'hmmm' noise. "That's not unrealistic…it makes sense, I guess."

* * *

Sonic could tell Zavok still felt uncomfortable flying in the air. _How did he get off the Hex without flying?_ He would ask at a later time, when Zavok wasn't so moody. If there ever was a time he wasn't moody.

"The Southern Isles is a beautiful place!" Tails hadn't stopped talking since they took off. "It's full of fish and all sorts of exotic creatures and there's an underwater volcano-"

"Won't it erupt?" Sonic asked.

"Oh no, it's been long dormant. The last eruption was thousands of years ago. Besides if it did interrupt it would just slowly create a new island."

They flew over forests and eventually over a meadow. The plane tilted thanks from Zavok looking over the edge.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Sonic tried pulling him over toward the middle. "You're too top heavy!"

"I think I see Jade." He muttered. Sonic looked over his shoulder and, indeed, he saw a familiar red head being carried by an alligator.

"Tails, land there!" Sonic shouted.

"Got it!" Tails landed on the other side of the meadow. The sound forced the group of four to stop in their tracks and let Tails land.

The young girls face lit up. "Big brother!" She squirmed out of Vectors grip and hobbled over to the plane. Tails shut off the propeller while Zavok jumped off. When she caught up with him she hugged him tightly. It was a sight that warmed Sonic's heart.

"Sonic!" She climbed on the plane and hugged him tightly too. She was stronger than the last time he saw her and she was a lot stronger than she looked.

"Air, air!" Sonic chocked out.

"Sorry." Jade blushed in embarrassment and laughed at herself. "I still don't know my own strength." She admitted. The last person she hugged was Tails. They muttered something to each other but Sonic couldn't hear.

" _This_ is your brother?" The bee boy asked, getting into Zavok's face.

"Yes. Big Brother, these three helped me. Espio, Vector, Charmy, this is my Big Brother, Zavok. He's one of five."

"He looks like a demon." Vector whispered to Sonic.

"He has the manners of one too. How Jade turned out the way she did is beyond my understanding." Sonic whispered back attempting to hold back a laugh. Vector couldn't hold in his laughter for a moment.

* * *

Zavok felt a strange stirring in his chest. Joy is what Jade called it. Zavok would rather call it relief. He was relieved Jade wasn't too badly hurt. She insisted the sprained ankle was from a fall she caused herself and he was reluctant to believe her story but he let it go. It would heal soon enough. Jade's eyes, which were usually a perfect grassy-green, were a clouded grey that reminded him of a coming storm.

She was overwhelmed with emotions too. She loved seeing her friends again but she was overjoyed when she saw and heard that their family hadn't contemplated destroying the world…yet.

"If you don't mind, Big Brother," she said while they sat in the grassy field surrounded by trees. "I want to stay here a little longer and help them collect the Chaos Emeralds." Zavok wanted to object but she could sense it before he could get the words out. "If I go home I'm an easy target for Eggman. Why would I go to a place he knows where to find me? A moving target is a hard target, isn't that was Master Zik would say?"

Zavok nearly laughed. When did she become wise like Master Zik? "I guess you're right. Well then, I'll be right here with you. I'll protect you from Eggman."

Her smile was contagious, as Zik would say. Her smile could chase the darkness out of almost any heart. How could Eggman be so cruel as to try and harm someone as harmless as this girl?

"You're smiling, Big Brother."

He huffed and growled at her. This would make her run away when she was little but now she only laughed at him.

"Hey guys, you ready?" Sonic called.

The two slowly stood and walked to the plane.

"What's gonna happen to you guys?" Tails asked as Zavok helped Jade board the passenger seat of the plane.

"Our job is done. I guess we'll go home." Vector said.

"You mean you guys aren't coming with us?" Jade almost sounded disappointed. "Come on! It'll be fun!"

"She's right." Sonic said. "If something happens then at least we'll have some extra back up and we'll need that."

Zavok didn't feel comfortable having more people come along.

"One problem, guys, I can't take any more people on the plane." Tails frowned.

"We'll meet you guys there." Vector said. "Go on ahead."

"Sonic you should go with them." Tails had both hands on one of the propellers.

"Why?"

"I would usually carry four people at a time, that includes the driver, but with Zavok being so heavy I can only carry us three. Sorry, Sonic, but I don't think Zavok will leave his sister behind."

Sister…the word seemed odd coming from someone else's mouth. Even the Zeti hardly used the word. The only other time he heard it was from Zazz or Zomom. Once Zeena whispered the word and Zor said it only when he was extremely upset and Jade had finally calmed him down. The word was something they said only in their most vulnerable state.

Sonic looked like he wanted to object but instead he sighed. "Fine."

Tails started the propeller. Zavok climbed to the top of the plane and positioned himself in the middle so he wouldn't tip the plane as it took off.


	8. Chapter 8

Jade leaned over to watch the ground rush below them. It made Zavok uneasy but she didn't seem to care or take notice. It took several hours until they finally got to the Southern Isles and landed in an open field.

The Southern Isles were comprised of closely knit islands, some only a stones throw away, and each island had ancient ruins. Zavok made his way off the plane, careful not to break the wings, while Jade ran off to check out some ruins.

"Careful, Jade!" Tails ran to her. "Don't touch anything! These ruins have yet to be analyzed."

"Why would you analyze a bunch of rocks?" Jade didn't understand.

"Because it's history."

"Aren't there stories about these ruins?"

"None that we know of and we don't know which stories are and aren't true so don't touch any!"

"Jade," Zavok finally spoke up. He wanted to laugh at her childish curiosity. "We aren't on the Hex anymore. We have to abide by the rules of the earth just as Tails abided by the rules of the Hex when he visited." He felt like he was talking to a child. However, neither him nor Jade had ever wandered outside of the Hex. This whole planet was strange and they had no choice but to listen to Tails.

Jade smiled and nodded. "Sorry, Tails."

Tails smiled with her. "It's okay. Just don't touch anything else." Tails looked at the old ruins, fascinated by them. "Sonic and the others should be here tomorrow. It's quite a long walk."

"I can imagine." Jade muttered to herself.

"We should still start looking for the Chaos Emerald before Eggman finds it." The words felt strange to Zavok. He wasn't worried, nor did he care about this world. But Jade cared, he supposed the only reason he said the words was because she was so determined to save a world she loved to dream about.

"Where should we start looking? This place is huge!"

A laugh escaped from Tails' mouth. "Not really. It'll be easy if we split up."

Zavok didn't like the idea of leaving Jade.

Tails quickly added, "Don't give me that look, Zavok. We'll split up into two groups. You can stay with Jade. I'm not sure which one we're looking for so be on the look out for any of them."

"Alright. We'll go look in the East. Come on!" She took his hand and took off east.

As Zavok followed he could hear Tails laugh.

* * *

Jade insisted on looking around on the eastern side of the isles, a random direction she picked from the top of her head but for some reason she felt a warmth in her chest where the pain from coughing so much used to be. She ignored it for now, though, there was no use telling Zavok and it being nothing.

The small islands that made up the isles were scattered but they were so close that all they had to do was walk. It was like walking around the Hex, small and easy.

She missed the Hex. There was a slight, unfamiliar pain in her chest whenever she thought of home.

"Jade?" Zavok's voice broke her thoughts.

"Yeah? I'm fine." She lied. He didn't look like he bought it but he didn't press on. They continued to walk. The warmth in her chest got warmer and warmer until it felt like it burned. Jade finally had to stop and put her hands on her chest. It didn't feel warm at all.

"What's wrong?" Zavok's voice was insisting.

"There's a burning in my chest. I think we're near a Chaos Emerald." She started looking around until she saw a blue glow in the sea. "There it is!" She ran toward it. With each step the burning grew more and more intense until she felt like she wanted to double over. When she picked it up both the glowing and the burning stopped. "The burning stopped, Big Brother!"

There was a small smile to the Zeti's face. It looked out of place to anybody else but to Jade it made him look a little more huggable. "Let's hope that the rest of them are this easy to find."

As she said the words the Chaos Emerald flew out of her hand, Zavok hugged her protectively, and all she heard was a ringing sound after an explosion. It happened so fast she wasn't sure what to do.

* * *

Sonic was way faster than the three he was forced to deal with. He hated that he had to be dragged down by the detective trio. "Come on, guys!" Sonic yelled at them for the thousandth time.

"Just go ahead of us! We'll be there shortly!" Espio answered back for the thousandth time.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Then we'll have to wait for you at the Southern Isles."

"Either way you're waiting!" Charmy teased.

After several hours they reached the beach, but there were no boats to take them to the clustered islands.

"Guess we're waiting here!" Charmy lay in the warm sand but it wasn't for long. The Tornado-1 flew overhead.


	9. Chapter 9

Jade heard a familiar laugh shortly after the explosion. It was hard to hear it but it was still unmistakable. It was Eggman's laugh.

He said something but she couldn't make out what he was saying. "Big Brother, I can't hear!" Jade had to yell to hear herself.

"It's only temporary." She finally heard Eggman yell. "It's because of the explosion, her eardrum must have ruptured. Anybody else would be completely deaf but that Emerald will have it fixed soon enough." He bent down and picked up the blue Chaos Emerald. There was nothing they could do about it now.

"We have to find Tails." Zavok told her, as if she hadn't already thought about it.

He uncurled from his protective hold. Jade didn't want to leave Zavok but she did, trusting that he would be right behind her at some point. He never ran from fights, she knew this fact all too well.

 _Tails said he's on the west right?_ Jade ran hard and as fast as she could. Finally she had to stop to catch her breath. Zavok wasn't right behind her like she had hoped.

"Jade, you're okay!" Tails ran up to her. He was just as much out of breath as she was. "I heard an explosion and got worried. Did you find the Chaos Emerald?"

"Yeah, but Eggman grabbed it from us. We need to go get Big Brother!"

"We need to get out of here too." Tails didn't go in the direction of Zavok.

"But, Tails, Big Brother-"

"Just follow me!" Tails grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the plane. "I need you to get in quickly. Get to the top of the plane!" He held up a hand, something Zik used to do to tell her to stay quiet until he was finished. "I know it's unsafe but I need you to pull Zavok up."

When he put his hand down Jade was finally aloud to talk. "I was going to ask how do you expect me to pull Zavok up? I'm strong but he isn't exactly featherweight."

"Leave that part up to me." His eyes held so much warmth and certainty it made Jade feel a little bit better. While she climbed the wings of the plane Tails did everything he needed to do to get the plane started.

She didn't expect the wings to feel so unsteady. To feel safer Jade kept close to the flat board and crawled her way to the edge of the wing. Below them was nothing but sea and sand and Zavok and Eggman and his robots. Zavok was surrounded but it looked as if he destroyed a big chunk of them.

"I'm going to loop back around, Jade, and we'll get as close to the ground as I can get. We don't have a million chances at this, think you can get it in one try?"

Jade nodded. "Got it, Tails!"

When they looped around she didn't expect the side she was leaning over to tilt toward the ground. She felt like she was going to slip and fall. She couldn't get herself to let go of the plane's wing.

"Jump, Zavok!" She yelled, although she didn't need to, he was already jumping and before she knew it the plane jerked from his body hitting the wing. He held on tightly while Tails steered away from Eggman.

"I'm glad you aren't hurt." Jade finally admitted when she thought they were far enough away from Eggman. She crawled to him but held on tightly to the wing.

Zavok opened his mouth and started telling her something, but whatever it was it was lost in explosions that jerked the plane. Her hands slipped from its hold and she flew forward over and under the plane.

Zavok didn't expect the jerk, and obviously neither did his sister. He watched her get ejected from her spot, her face formed into surprise. He tried to grab her and he was just centimeters away from her fingers but she still, once again, slipped away.

Tails circled back around but they couldn't see anything in the endless sea. They would just have to hope she was okay until they landed. He was so worried. Jade should have been home, with her family, but instead she was lost out at sea. Lost in a world unknown to both of them.

When the plane was low enough to the ground Zavok jumped out and ran to the ocean. Sonic approached them with the three that found Jade not too long ago.

"What happened?" Sonic asked Tails. "We saw the explosions."

"Eggman attacked us and we lost Jade…we also lost the Chaos Emerald."

How could they think of the Chaos Emerald at a time like this? Zavok's mind was on only one thing; to find Jade.

"Where did you lose her at?" Espio asked.

"Not too far out in the water."

"Alright. I'll go search." Vector jumped in the water. He didn't return until sundown and Jade wasn't with him.

The alligator wouldn't look at Zavok when he said, "She just isn't there. It's like she disappeared."

Sonic couldn't imagine what Zavok was thinking or feeling. His look continued to get darker that each hour passed.

"If Eggman has her they'll be looking for the other Chaos Emeralds." Tails tried to cheer him up, even a little. "And we know she can sense Chaos Emeralds too so he'll probably take her everywhere."

This piece of news didn't seem to cheer him up one bit. In fact it did the opposite. The aura he gave off seemed to get darker and darker until it could no longer get darker.

Finally Tails said solemnly, "But there isn't anything we can do in the dark. We'll have to leave at sunrise when I can see. The detective team, however, can go ahead of us."

"Do we even know which Chaos Emerald they'll go after next?" Sonic folded his arms.

"No." Tails took out his tablet and showed everyone the map with five more blinking dots. "You three," he pointed at the map, "should go east over here. It may be more hidden than this one was so be on the look out. We'll go north and meet up west. Hopefully one of us will see Jade."

'Hopefully' didn't make Zavok any happier. Somewhere in the back of Sonic's mind he knew Zavok would get no sleep tonight or any other night until he had Jade safely back home.


	10. Chapter 10

Jade stared at the sky, breathing heavily from holding her breath for so long. Where was the next Chaos Emerald? She didn't know where to look first. The only people who would know were Tails and Eggman. She closed her eyes and imagined she was home on the Hex with her family.

The sand beneath her back was soft and warm. It should have calmed her down but it did the opposite. She was aware of every rock in her back and every particle that wanted to bury itself in her soft skin.

"I've found her, boss!" A robot's voice called. The robot's voice was familiar. She dared not move.

"Take her up, then." Eggman's voice came. He was much closer than she realized. She could feel her body being picked up but she still feint sleep. _Why am I so willing to go with them? Maybe they'll lead me to Big Brother or Espio or someone! Someone I know._ She waited for a long while, her body ached with the need to move, and then she felt something cold and uncomfortable under her. She opened her eyes in time to see Orbot locking her inside a cell. She heard him exit another door but she wasn't sure where it was. She must be on Eggman's ship. The memory hit her like walking into a wall. This looked like the same cell she stayed in before.

Slowly she sat up and looked around a bit more. There was a single window that showed the ship was moving very slowly. Maybe Eggman would take her to Big Brother. Outside she saw the shallow water below.

Jade spent hours watching out the window and she dreamed of the Hex. Orbot came in a few times to check on her because of how quiet she was. Why wouldn't she be quiet? She trusted that Eggman would eventually run into someone she knew and she trusted that they would rescue her and take her home.

"I should have just gone home like Big Brother said," Jade whispered to herself but there was no turning back now. There was no way to turn back the clock and change history.

Suddenly the clouds started to rise above them. They were landing? Why would they be landing so suddenly?

As if to answer her, an ember lit itself in the middle of her chest. With each exhale the warmth grew for a short moment. If she could tell Eggman somehow she could sense chaos emeralds he would have to let her out!

As the ship landed she saw out the window old ruins covered in vines. The vines kept the bricks from falling in on itself but she suspected there was something else.

The ember grew into a fire and the fire pinched her heart. She grabbed her chest and cried out dramatically. She continued crying out for several minutes, and for a moment she feared she overplayed the part when the two robots burst into the room and unlocked the door.

Eggman walked in, though not calmly, and asked in a rushed tone, "What is it?"

"My chest…" Jade complained. "The emerald."

Orbot checked her health. "It seems this is caused by the reaction of the chaos emeralds." He proposed. "It must be calling each other. My suggestion; take her along and have her hold the emerald. She should feel better if the emeralds can be near each other."

Eggman didn't seem to like the idea but allowed her to come with him anyways, with a few robots to keep their weapons trained on her.

* * *

Sonic watched Zavok from the other side of the plane. He swore he could see a dark cloud hanging over the Zeti's head. Every attempt to annoy him or get him to yell at somebody resulted in nothing. Finally Sonic gave up after hours and everyone rode the plane in silence.

"Where is the Chaos Emerald again?" Sonic asked Tails.

"Somewhere far north. That's all I know."

"Far north as in like the North Pole?"

"Yeah that's exactly it, Sonic."

The plane seemed louder than it usually did. It was the only sound Sonic heard for miles. When they reached the end of forever Tails finally landed. Sonic peeked over Tails' shoulder at his device. It was still miles out.

"Why did we stop?" Zavok demanded. He was leaning over too, watching the blinking dot.

"The plane's engines can't take the cold whether. We have to walk. And partly I want to take as long as possible. If Jade is with Eggman he'll come. And if Eggman is smart enough to figure out she senses Chaos Emeralds he'll bring her with him."

* * *

Zavok was annoyed by the cold air and by Sonic's talking and by Tails stopping the plane miles before she should have. To him, this cold was nothing. He hardly felt the frost bite at his skin but to his traveling companions the cold was more than they could bear. They bundled themselves in thick coats that made them move slower.

He was annoyed that Eggman would take away his happiness. He was angry at the thought of what he could be doing to Jade. He was angry and annoyed and sad and it ate away at his black heart until, he was sure, he would die. The ache in his chest grew with every step until he wanted to give up, lay down, and never wake from sleep.

"Zavok," Zavok stopped and looked around. He thought he had heard Jade but it was only the small fox, looking up at him with child-like eyes. "You know, Jade will eventually come back and she'll be okay. I promise we won't let Eggman hurt her!"

He didn't believe Tails. Empty promises meant nothing unless you could carry them out but Zavok nodded anyway and the three didn't say a word to each other for the rest of the walk.


	11. Chapter 11

The temple was bigger than anyone expected! It was a little bit more sophisticated than it should have been. Old death traps awaited unwanted visitors, or so said the paintings on the wall, and only wheels could turn certain doors.

Jade stopped to stare at one of the paintings of the seven emeralds surrounding a person and two separate pictures showed different outcomes. One picture was drawn in yellow paint, which was now faded with time, while the other was stained in black with demon-like eyes. "The outcome of taking in the Emeralds," Orbot mused in almost a whisper. "Fascinating, isn't it? It'll either be used for good or it'll corrupt…."

"These ancient people must have found out what each of the Emeralds' purpose was." Eggman called to them across the room. Orbot and Jade rushed over in their curiosity. The sudden movement made one of the robots guns shoot her leg. Jade put out her hands to catch herself and one of the tiles pushed inward under the weight.

"It looks like the white one brings life to living creatures…the green one…"

While Eggman talked with Orbot the tiles beneath her suddenly gave way. Jade screamed and attempted to find something to hold on to. The further she went the more her chest burned just inside her lungs. It was hard for her to breath. Her lungs started to feel as if they might collapse. They squeezed until she couldn't take a breath big enough for her to scream. When Jade landed it wasn't as hard as she expected. The ground beneath her was soft and wet.

"Jade!" Eggman called down. "Don't move! You figure out a way down there!" Eggman's voice became muffled at the end so Jade barley heard him. The burning in her chest became so intense that it took all her energy to stand and take in her surroundings. She was in a large room with a shining green emerald on one end. In the room flowers and grass grew in the brightest colors! Vines came from grape vines that shouldn't have been growing and from a skylight Jade barley noticed the sun shown so that it hit the green emerald by midday.

Slowly Jade approached the Emerald. The burning grew and grew in a way that should have been painful, and in a way it was painful but it was a good pain like massaging away a stress knot. It all went away just as quickly as it came when she touched the Emerald and held it close to her chest. Finally she could take a deep, slow breath, and the warmth inside of her was nothing more than a memory and was replaced with the warmth of the new green emerald reacting to its shiny white brother.

Before Jade could turn around a hand flew out and grabbed the emerald. "Feeling better?" Orbot asked while his creator was holding the emerald in a greedy manner.

"Much better, yes."

As they walked back Orbot asked her all sorts of questions. Whether out of pure curiosity or simply obeying an order from his boss Jade was careful in her answers.

"So you're like a walking talking Chaos Emerald detector!"

It wasn't really a question but Jade answered anyway, "Yeah I guess I am."

"And it's only a burning in your chest?"

"Yeah, it really hurts sometimes, though. Like someone is in here burning my chest." It was only half a lie. She wanted Eggman to take her wherever they were just in case they found someone.

"Fascinating!" Orbot folded his hands in front of them while they were climbing onto the ship. While Eggman made his way down a corridor Orbot and the more intimidating robots escorted her to her cell. Then Jade realized just how long the trip was going to take. She wouldn't see her little brothers or sister for a long while. She wouldn't see the Hex for a long while. Worst of all is she wouldn't see her big brother for a long while.

The moon shined on her that night while she looked out the window. "I hope you're drawing with the stars, big brother," she whispered to herself.

A memory flashed into her mind that she was most fond of. Shortly after Sonic and his friends left the Hex and she started to regain much of her strength the Deadly Seven, as they now liked to call themselves, laid in the grass of an open meadow and stared up at the stars.

Zor and Zeena fell asleep next to each other, Zik fell asleep propped up against a tree that was close by, and Zazz had just started to doze. It was late that night when Jade started tracing the stars with her fingers.

 _"What are you doing?"_ Zavok had both eyes closed. She assumed he was asleep.

 _"If you look close enough you can see patterns in the stars."_ She waited until his eyes were open again to show him. _"See? That one looks a little like a cat!" She traced it out for him to see. "And that one more toward the west with that shiny star in the center kind of looks like a flower."_

 _"Yeah I see them now…"_ By the tone of his voice she could tell Zavok wasn't serious.

Jade punched Zavok and squeaked when it only hurt her. He laughed. _"Shut up! It isn't funny! It really hurts!"_

 _"It is to me!"_

Jade giggled at the memory. It was the first time in a long while that they hung out like that.


	12. Chapter 12

Zavok stared at the early morning sky. The stars were just now disappearing and over the horizon the sun's rays were just beginning to peak out. They've been waiting for nearly two days. Where could they be? He was starting to get irritated and worried and sick the more they sat around.

 _"Do you see that? That kinda looks like Zazz!"_ Her voice echoed in his head. It has been since he lost her.

He punched the rocky wall of the mountain.

"Calm down," Sonic said but he didn't understand. Zavok couldn't calm down! "They'll be here soon. I'm sure of it!"

Suddenly Tails' squeaky voice pierced through the icy winds. "Look! A shooting star! Everybody make a wish!" He folded his hands and prayed to the star like a child. Sonic did the same.

Zavok didn't understand. Why would someone wish hopelessly on a star? It wasn't a god and it didn't have any more power than the sun or the moon. All Zavok wished for was to see his little sister again soon.

Immediately after the thought he heard the sound of Eggman's ship.

* * *

After a short ride Eggman's ship flew over tall man made structures and the brightest lights she's seen! This must have been what was called a "city." The lights below were so bright Jade couldn't sleep. The lights were of all different colors! They didn't look half as beautiful as she imagined. She preferred the light of a fire or a candle burning low but these artificial lights made the earth look ugly and the forest around it looked sad.

When they were finally out of the city's poisoned lights the moon shown in its full glory. The moon was full and blue and the stars paled in comparison.

Jade sat near the window, with her head leaning on the glass, dozing in and out of sleep from midnight on. She had just started to dream when the ember in her chest caught light again. The warmth woke her up.

The scene below changed. There were no greens or browns of the forest or fields it was only white sheets of snow.

Slowly Jade crawled to the door. This simple action made her pant as if she had just ran two miles. "Hey!" She screamed but nobody came to answer. Maybe they weren't really going to let her out again.

The further the ship flew the worse the burning got. Finally, after what felt like forever, Orbot came in and let the door open. "Come on," he urged. "We're about to land."

Jade made it seem impossible to push herself to her feet. _Please, Big Brother. Be here! Be here!_ When they got near the doors they often exited from Cubot gave her a sweater but with the burning in her chest she doubted she would need one. Jade put it on anyway and waited until the doors open.

"Where's Eggman?" She asked but she didn't really care.

"He's coming, don't you worry." Orbot folded his hands in front of him for only a moment before taking her arm and gently pulling her outside. For a robot he was quite the gentleman. He was far nicer than Eggman but just as dumb.

* * *

Sonic pulled Zavok behind the mouth of the cave. There wasn't much to it. The Emerald was easily accessible, almost too easily accessible, which made Tails nervous. Tails was busy at work on his tablet, trying to decipher some hieroglyphics.

"Hurry up, Tails. Eggman will be here at any moment." Sonic urged his friend to turn off his tablet.

"Hang on, I'm almost done." Tails jumped at the sound of Eggman's voice complaining in the distance. Sonic peaked out and saw Jade clutching the sweater at her chest. Her face was red and frostbitten but the cold, for some reason, didn't bother her. She was more concerned getting into the cave.

She collapsed in the snow. Sonic put a hand out to halt Zavok from running to her. "Not yet," he whispered. "We don't want to scare Eggman off." Although, Sonic knew Eggman would probably abandon the girl and flee if he saw Zavok.

"What's wrong with her now?" Eggman demanded of Orbot.

"It appears she's cold _and_ in pain." Orbot helped her up. "We must hurry." He led her to the mouth of the cave where it was much warmer. By this time Tails finally turned off his Tablet and they stood in the shadows ready to jump Eggman.

Zavok could hardly contain himself and this time Sonic wasn't going to stop him. As soon as he saw Eggman Zavok jumped from the shadows and attacked the fat man. Jade leaped forward as if to avoid the tackle.

He pinned Eggman until Sonic came over to help him.

"Wait, Jade, don't-" Tails yelled in an attempt to stop Jade from taking the Chaos Emerald but it was too late. Jade snatched the Emerald and relief washed over her face. Eggman struggled under Zavok in an attempt to escape.

"Get off!" He wiggled his hands free and pushed Zavok away. The three of them, Eggman and both of his robots, tried to flee through the entrance but by the time they got there rocks tumbled and sealed them shut.

It was pitch dark. Jade wouldn't be able to see. Slowly Zavok approached her and set a hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there. Her tiny body jumped but she soon relaxed when she sensed him.

"I'm glad I found you," she whispered.

Tails turned on his tablet, letting the pale glow light the cave. "I tried to warn you." He said under his breath.

"Sorry, Tails. I didn't think anything would happen."

He didn't get mad at her. Nobody could. "It's okay. I'm sure there's a way out of here."

Eggman helped the cube robot turn on bright lights from his eyes. "Where would that be?" He growled.

Tails shrugged. "I'm not sure." He started pressing buttons on his tablet.

While he and Eggman figured out the routes Zavok turned to Jade. "You seem okay now." He didn't mean to say it aloud.

"Yeah I feel a lot better. I think when we're close to Chaos Emeralds they react to each other, like a calling. But it might only be when they're in their hiding places." She paused and looked down at the Emerald. "That's blue, green, white…and turquoise. 4 out of 7."

Soon Tails and Eggman agreed on a route and everyone followed them out. Jade stayed close to Zavok, even after they found their way out Jade kept by his side. Was she just as scared as he was?

Eggman didn't seem to care for Jade now with Zavok there. His robots would be useless so he fled.

"I still can't take all of us," Tails frowned. "Do you mind, Sonic?"

Sonic shook his head. "Not at all."

By the look on Jade's face she had something to say the entire time. She finally found her voice, "Tails, if you don't mind can you take me and Big Brother home?"

"Are you sure? What about the whole 'easy target for Eggman' thing?" Sonic eyed her. It took Zavok a moment to figure out why he was doing that. He just wanted Jade to think this plan through fully.

"The reason I stayed down here to help you guys was because I thought I'd be safer here than on the Hex for as long as he was after the Emeralds. But this is unfamiliar territory to me. I don't know where to hide or who to trust. I realize now that at least if I'm on the Hex I have my brothers and with their powers they'll keep me safe. Eggman's machines will be useless to him."

Sonic nodded and looked at Tails. "Be careful, buddy. I'll catch up with the other three." With that he took off.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Everyone piled into the plane.


	13. Chapter 13

Was she making the right choice? She wasn't sure but a gut feeling and a small whisper in her mind kept telling her she was. Jade closed her eyes when they landed on the Hex and took a deep breath. The air here was cleaner and familiar. This was home.

Zavok helped Jade down. Her feet barely touched the grass when suddenly family surrounded her. Zazz hugged her tightly with Zomom. Zor tried to act like he was fine but as soon as she hugged him he turned away to hide his tears. Even Zeena was happy and relieved for her safe return. Finally she hugged Master Zik.

"What took so long?" He asked Zavok.

Jade answered instead. She felt like she needed to explain since it was her idea to stay. "I wanted to stay a bit longer. I was hoping to help them a little bit to find the emeralds but I wasn't of much help."

"Well, I'm just glad you're home safe."

Tails didn't stay long. "I need to get back and help Sonic," he explained before he left. "I promise I'll be back soon but until then if you hear anything you should have someone else check it out."

When he was out of sight and long gone Jade and Master Zik walked through his garden. Things were left unattended for as long as she was gone.

"Was the world below anything like you dreamed?" His cane tapped softly against the stone path.

"No. It was more beautiful in my daydream. It's too bright. There are times when you can't see the stars. I like it up here much better. The beauty here hasn't been altered like the world below. And…the only evil here is us seven." The last bit was added with a playful grin.

Zik smiled and they sat under a tree. It was the same tree she used to sit under whenever she felt strong enough to walk. Now she hardly sat under it but Zik sat under it almost every day. Jade supposed something about the memories here calmed him some.

The sun half hid behind some clouds. "I'm glad to be home again. I missed it." They sat in silence for a long while. In this silence she wondered many things like if she would see Tails any time soon. Were they close to finding all of the Chaos Emeralds? Would Espio and Vector and Charmy help them?

"Tell me everything that happened. Why did you suddenly decide to come back?"

Her mind flashed to Eggman and how willingly she went with him to find Big Brother. "It was safer for me here than it was down there. I thought if I stayed with Tails and Sonic they'd be able to protect me but then I realized their protection only went so far. But here Eggman's machines are useless to you guys." Zik continued to stare at her. He wanted more information. "That's it, Master Zik."

By the look on his face it was obvious he didn't believe her. However, he also didn't press her for information. Everyone knew Jade would come out and tell the entire story eventually and if she didn't Zavok would.

* * *

Everyone gave Jade her space when she entered the garden with Zik. After an hour of being back home it was like they never even left. Zazz chased around dark colored butterflies, Zeena attended to her nails, Zor kept to the shadows and in his own thoughts, Zomom gobbled on premade sandwiches, and Zavok trained in an open field.

Zik was the only one who came back from the garden. "Dinner will be ready soon," he announced. Everyone seemed so happy and a little relieved. How did they ever survive without Jade? Zik must have cooked for them at some time but by their relieved faces maybe he didn't.

"Zavok, come walk with me." Zik wasn't going to the garden. The garden was a place reserved only for Jade and Zik. The two walked some distance away from the others. "Tell me what really happened, Zavok. Jade won't say."

Was Jade really that afraid of telling him? Zavok started explaining everything starting from the moment everyone else came back. When he was finished Zik had a masked expression. Maybe he was angry underneath but he was trying not to show it.

When the wind blew softly Zavok could smell parsley and smoke. Slowly they made their way to the house. Everyone was scattered across the roof, almost finished with their plates. Zavok climbed up on the roof and sat in the middle. Jade walked carefully on the tiles and gave him a plate. Rice and beans and beef crowded around each other on the plate. She only made this on special occasions.

When the sun went down everyone started to trace the stars in the sky. Everything was as it should be.

* * *

Tails caught up with Sonic and Team Chaotix quicker than Sonic expected. After setting up a quick plan they all split up to find the Emeralds. This was a tougher task than Sonic expected.


	14. Chapter 14

Months went by without word from Tails or Sonic. Jade would often sit by the tablet Tails gave her a year ago. She wasn't sure how to use it but maybe she would figure it out when they called.

It was as if nothing had happened. Everything quickly went back to the way it was. Jade trained with Zavok and she'd yell if he went easy on her. After training she ended up with so many bruises that would heal in no time but this fact didn't stop Zazz from attacking Zavok. Zik would just laugh at Zazz and Zavok's fight. Zeena would tell her how she should take care of her hair, which Jade often ignored and tried her best to do the opposite. Zeena's scolding made her laugh but she still served well as a confidant whenever she needed one. The only thing that changed was Zor would help her with the cooking whenever he could. When did he suddenly become interested in such mundane things?

Today the wind blew harshly indicating a coming storm. It carried with it a strange feeling, like the feeling someone gets before a nightmare begins. Jade looked at the tablet sitting on the counter half covered with leeks and onions and other half cut vegetables. The screen was still black.

"Here, like this, Zor," Jade showed him how to stir the contents in the pan so they wouldn't burn. His eyes seemed far away. "What is it?" She finally asked softly.

"There's something wrong…I can just feel it. Something is going to happen."

Zor has always acted depressed or worried but this time it was different. She could tell by his voice he was really worried about something. "Take Zazz and go explore then. By the time you two get back dinner will be ready."

He nodded and ran out of the house as fast as his short legs could take him. Shortly after he left Zik walked in. "Zor is out?"

Jade nodded. "Yeah. Something is off and he just wanted to check out the Hex."

"I see…so you sense it too?" He didn't wait for Jade to nod or even turn around. "Zavok and the others are already checking everything out before you sent Zor out. You and I shall wait here for their report."

Jade didn't like the thought of waiting in the house for her brothers return but she didn't complain either. They waited silently for what felt like forever. With every minute Jade became more and more anxious.

Suddenly Zik dropped his cane to cover his ears. The only sound that could be heard, however, was the wind against the walls. "Master Zik?" She knelt by him but he pushed her back away from him.

"Find your brothers!" He commanded.

"What's going on?" She demanded trying to get close.

"I think it is Eggman. I think he found a conch!"

The last time she knew he came with a conch was when she was extremely sick. The first time a stranger had ever set foot on the Hex excluding herself. Jade ran outside by the back door hoping to avoid a confrontation with robots. The winds were against her, trying to push her backward but she kept going until she came to the top of a hill. When she looked back she could see Eggman's ship hovering over her house. Jade became deaf to everything except to the calling of her name. It was Tails and Sonic. She followed their plane to the bottom of the hill.

* * *

Jade hugged Sonic tightly. She seemed relieved to see him. "Are you okay?" Sonic asked but noticed something else about her face. "Where's the Deadly Six?"

"I think they're in trouble." She sounded out of breath, as if she'd been running this entire time. "I think Eggman's back with this…this conch. He must have found another one."

Sonic didn't wait to hear if she had anything else to say. He ran to the top of the hill. When he figured out where they were he turned to Tails. "I'll be back, buddy!" He ignored Tails' yelling at him to come back, he just wanted to help Jade and her brothers.

* * *

Zavok couldn't believe how easily Eggman made them bow with that stupid shell. He was relieved when he saw Jade wasn't in the house but his relief went away just as quickly as it came when he saw his master.

"Where could she have gone?" Eggman growled under his breath. "She couldn't have gotten far from the Hex."

Shots were fired outside where Eggman commanded his robots to stand guard. When he ran outside Zavok helped Zik to his feet. "Where is she?" he whispered hoping Eggman was far enough away to not hear them.

"I don't know. She ran out the back door." He answered.

Eggman started to yell and scream. Zazz looked out the window. "It's Sonic!" He yelled almost happily. Zavok looked out the window with him. Robots surrounded Sonic but he somehow never got hit with a bullet.

Nobody wanted to go outside for fear they would have to fight someone they hated and liked all at the same time. Jade once called it a friend-enemy relationship.

Sonic looked up as if someone called his name and then Jade jumped next to him with something almost like a long pole in her hands and at one end of it some visible electricity was being controlled. It looked like it would hurt if someone was touched by it.

"What is that girl thinking?" Zik asked in a worried voice.

Sonic looked like he was asking the same question. None of them had to hear her to know what her answer was. "My family protected me once. It's my turn to protect them."


	15. Chapter 15

Jade knew what they were thinking inside but she didn't care. The end of the pole was lit up with thousands of volts of electricity. Without warning she jabbed the robot next to her and it fell in a heap. The fight was started and she allowed instinct to take over her body. Jab a robot, punch a robot, and hope her hand didn't break. Punch a robot, jab a robot right in the face. She matched her breathing to her movements. The fighting felt like a dance until Sonic's scream pierced the air.

Sonic, who had been just behind her, ran past the wrong robot. He was wounded badly and Tails had just landed the plane in the hill she told him to hide at. She needed to get to the conch.

Eggman made a _tsk, tsk,_ sound when she eyed the conch. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He pointed at a robot she'd never seen before. This robot had cannons instead of guns aimed at her house with her brothers inside of it. "You'd better make the right choice, child. You can come with me quietly or you could sacrifice everyone for your own safety."

To Jade there was no choice. Her hands trembled. Didn't Sonic gather the rest of the emeralds? What happened? She looked at Sonic wanting to ask him so desperately.

"Don't do it," Sonic whispered.

"3…2…" As Eggman counted down the sound of the robot getting ready to fire surrounded the air. "1…"

Finally Jade threw the rod at the robot. Usually her aim was horrible but this time she wasn't aiming at any particular part of the robot and this time she wasn't throwing rocks. The rod pierced the robot's cannon and shocked it. "Too bad it wasn't the head…" she whispered as the only robots standing trained their weapons on her. _It shouldn't be too bad right? Just do whatever I did last time,_ she thought as Eggman took not only her but Sonic as well onto the ship.

* * *

Zavok punched the wall of the house so hard that he allowed the wind and rain inside. This shouldn't have happened! None of this should have happened! Was there some god cruel enough to let this happen to a little girl?

"Zavok," Zik scolded, "your anger will be of no help. We must get to Eggman's ship."

"But how? Eggman has the conch. As soon as he sees us he'll just blow it and…" Zeena dared not say the last part of the sentence.

"You're right. We must ask Tails for help." Zik took off in the direction they saw Tails plane go in. Zavok and the others followed close behind. They found Tails not too far.

"Where's Sonic?" He didn't understand.

Zik told the fox quickly of what happened.

At first Tails seemed taken aback. Zavok was afraid maybe he couldn't think rationally and would break down into tears or into a depression like Zor often did. He was surprised when Tails said, "I can only take a few of you. More if Zomom or Zavok don't come."

Zik stroked his beard and looked up at Zavok for a moment. "Zavok, then."

Tails nodded. "Hop aboard, then."

* * *

This scene seemed familiar to Jade. All around there were Emeralds and she stood in the middle. Sonic was slumped in a corner, too beat up to do much.

"How did Eggman get all the emeralds?" Jade finally asked Sonic while they waited in boredom for the machine to start up.

"I wasn't watching them very closely," Sonic admitted sheepishly. "He stole them from Tails while I wasn't around."

"Where were the others?"

"They figured since you were home their work was done and left to get Knuckles so he could get the Emeralds from us." Sonic chuckled darkly. "Seems this is all my fault."

 _No, this was bound to happen. It was simply fate that brought us back to this spot._ Outside the rain beat mercilessly against the window. Jade was so entranced by the storm that she nearly didn't feel Cubot attach a cuff to her arm.

"What's this for?" She demanded.

"So that we don't have the same mistake as last time." Eggman answered over a monitor. As soon as Cubot was safe in the room the machines hummed happily.

"Will it really hurt?" Sonic asked in a sad tone.

Jade couldn't bring herself from telling him the truth or a lie. She just stared at him until the first shock started at her spine.

* * *

Jade screamed and fell forward and before her hands hit the floor another shock went through her body. How could Eggman be so cruel? Sonic became angrier and angrier with each shock that sent her screaming and writhing in pain.

He got up and went to run to save her but as soon as he took a step a shock came up from the tile.

"I thought you might do that," Eggman growled. "So I had a few special tiles installed."

"How could you do this, Eggman? I didn't think you were this cruel!"

Eggman just laughed. "Then you don't know me at all, Hedgehog."

The lights to the room shut off but the machine continued.

"What's going on?" He demanded of his robots.

"Turning on the backup generators." Cubot said but then short after added, "backup generators are not responding, sir."

"How long until we're finished here?"

"The Chaos Emerald should be appearing in less than 30 seconds." The countdown began.

Lightening flashed outside and Sonic could see at the door a huge Zeti with a small fox. When lightening flashed again the fox moved forward. The tiles weren't working anymore.

"…10…"

Tails ran to Sonic.

"How is the machine still working?" Sonic asked in a whisper.

"It must be on a different generator." Tails whispered.

Suddenly Sonic became aware of the timer. "1…" Then the whole room glowed in many lights.

"Zavok!" Eggman yelled as Sonic turned around. Zavok had stopped just short of the circle of Chaos emeralds. Jade's body looked lifeless and peaceful. The white Emerald glowed in the brightest light Sonic had ever seen.

Zavok covered his ears and doubled over in pain, trying to shut out the painful noise of the conch. "Jade!" He yelled. "Wake up! Jade!" But Jade never answered him.

Something around them changed. Sonic couldn't put his finger on it but something was about to happen and whatever it was it was behind them. He turned around and saw a robot with its weapon trained on Tails.

He wasn't sure what he screamed out. All he heard was the ear splitting sound of a shot and a light


	16. Chapter 16

_Open your eyes. Now. Open your eyes._

"Jade! Wake up! Jade!"

 _"Zavok,"_ she thought she heard herself say. It felt like her eyes were open but she knew they were closed. She tried to open her eyes but they weren't _her_ eyes that opened because when she looked at herself her body was glowing and yet she also saw her body lifeless below her. She wasn't dead, however. She could just barely make out the dust on the ground moving with each breath.

"Sonic!" Tails screamed and Jade looked over to see Sonic. She covered her mouth.

 _"No! Sonic!"_ Her voice sounded very far away to her. Sonic fell on the ground with the life leaving his body.

Jade tried to pull in the Emeralds but she could feel the shocks of the band around her arm. She hugged herself and started to cry. What was she to do?

 _Stop crying!_ She heard a voice in her head.

Zavok, in all of his pain was trying to reach her body.

"We finally have it!" Eggman yelled. The floor started to glow under each emerald.

"The machine should be powered in 20 seconds," Orbot told him.

She tried to pull in the Emeralds again. This time they moved a little before she was shocked again and Zavok was shot at. The robot probably would've hit him had Tails not hit the robots arm as hard as he could so it, instead, shot the band's cord.

At first everything went dark and then the light came through. She was face to face with Zavok. Jade felt warm and happy and felt the smile come across her face. She pushed herself off from the foor.

"The machine failed to charge."

"I saw that." Eggman growled.

Zavok stared at her in awe and she looked down at herself. She was glowing! Tails ran to Eggman's safety room and Jade ran to Sonic. The robot aimed its weapon first at her and Sonic but then it changed and shot at the air. Zavok had forced it to change direction despite the threat of the conch.

"Sonic," Jade whispered and put a hand over him.

* * *

Sonic, at first, saw a light and the light was tempting. Then, a voice pierced through the darkness. This voice was familiar to him. It was warm and soft and reminded him of a nice summer day. He followed it into the darkness and woke to the fresh sunlight, the smell of rain, and the sounds of a new day.

"Sonic!" Tails hugged him.

"Hey, bud. Where are we?"

"We're on the Hex." Tails explained. His hand was wrapped in a bandage.

"Wait, what happened, though? Shouldn't I be dead?" Sonic tried to sit up but the darkness started to surround him again and his head plopped back onto the pillow. A light laugh came from the doorway.

"Don't do that, Sonic. I have healing abilities but even they go so far." Jade said walking over to him and sitting next to the bed. "Now, let's check on that bullet wound." She pulled back the blanket. His torso was covered in bandages.

"How?" Sonic breathed out the question.

"The Chaos Emeralds hold very…peculiar powers, Sonic. I just wanted you back alive and it happened. I can't explain it." Jade slowly helped him sit up and leaned him back against the pillows so he wouldn't black out. "Tails delivered the Emeralds to your friend, Knuckles a few days ago."

"Wait, days ago? How long was I out?"

"You've been in a coma for almost a month, Sonic," Tails looked worried suddenly. "I…" his eyes filled with tears and he hugged Sonic again, crying and burying his head in his shoulder.

"I don't die that easily, Tails." Sonic said to try and get a laugh out of him but it didn't work very well. "How's everyone else?"

"They're doing well."

"And you?"

Jade laughed. "I am fine, Sonic. The shocks gave me some scars and sent my heart into shock but Tails checked me out and said I should be fine to resume normal activities in another week."

Sonic smiled. "Good…good…" he fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Sonic and his friends, to Zavok's relief, left quickly after Sonic healed up. Jade went back to sparring him and losing badly. She kicked and Zavok took her foot and spun her around.

"Hang on, no fair!"

Zavok laughed and pushed her away. "Everything is fair in a fight!"

Jade stuck her tongue out at him.

* * *

Zik watched from the top of a hill, with his cane in hand and Zazz to his right and Zeena to his left and Zor and Zomom behind him.

"How did you even end up with a human girl, Master?" Zeena asked while they watched.

Jade attempted to tackle Zavok but Zavok didn't go down. He laughed at her attempts. Being a human Jade would never be as strong as Zavok or as fast as Zazz or as quiet as Zor and she would never have balance like Zeena. However, she did have what no other Zeti could have. She had their hearts. She would be exactly like Zik. Jade would make a fine leader for them all.

"That is a long story." Zik turned and started to walk away. They followed wanting to know more. "A long time ago we were discovered by a human, possibly by accident and…"

* * *

Sonic watched the sky and when he did he thought of the Hex. Eggman wouldn't be there for a long while. He thought of the new life he was given and the promise he made to Jade.

 _"Live your life every day as if it were your last. Promise me, you'll do that but don't be so reckless about it next time!"_ Her voice sang in his head like a song.

"She lives among demons," Tails finally spoke next to him. "But she has the purest heart."

"I wouldn't have thought it was possible," Sonic admitted, "to live with the Zeti."

From far away explosions rang through the air. Eggman was at his flawed plans again. "Ready for another fight?"

Tails nodded. "Right behind ya!"

* * *

Jade relaxed in her secret hiding place. She closed her eyes and remembered when she was sick. The last days she thought she had left. Those days stretched into long years now.

The moon was at it's brightest that night and it reminded her of how she glowed. _She_ was apart of the Emerald and the Emerald was apart of _her. I may never be as strong or as fast as any of my family but I'll always be able to help them in their time of need,_ she thought to herself.

Before midnight she walked along the river toward home. Everyone was asleep except for Zik who sat at the table deep in thought.

"What is it, Master Zik?" She sat down across from him.

"I was just thinking how much everyone has grown up. Although," he chuckled softly, "you seem to be the most mature one of the group."

Jade laughed. "Oh, I don't know about that." Jade put her head in her hand and looked at the messy kitchen. "Although…I am the only one who keeps the kitchen cleaned." A messy kitchen was such a trivial thing to laugh at but they laughed anyway. She wasn't sure why and she was sure Zik wasn't sure why they were laughing either. Still, they laughed and talked for most of the night about the smallest of things.


End file.
